Treatment of obesity by acupuncture

Twenty-four subjects ranging from 5 to 33% above ideal weight were weighted during a 3-week control period, and then treated for the successive 9 weeks with acupuncture therapy given in three different loci, and in random order for 3-week periods. The acupuncture needles were placed in unilateral loci used by oriental acupuncturists for weight loss, in the same loci bilaterally, and in unilateral loci not used by acupuncturists for weight loss. No undesirable effects were noted. No treatment was associated with weight reduction significant at the 0.05 confidence level. A study involving guinea pigs was run parallel with the above clinical protocol and also demonstrated no effect of ear acupuncture on weight loss.